For the first time in the history of the league, the Vytautas Magnus University team continues to fight for Division A medals, silencing all skeptics. They defeated Birštonas Milasta basketball players 91:79 (18:18, 25:18, 25:24, 23:19) at home and triumphed 3-1 in the series up to three victories.
The match started evenly, with the teams constantly exchanging lead roles. The scene on the court changed in the second half, when VMU took a 6:0 lead (43:36) after a mini-intermission and went into the long break leading.
In the second half of the match, the guests continued to hold the hosts back (48:46), but VMU took the lead again at the end of the third quarter and entered the decisive quarter with a safe advantage (68:60). In the fourth quarter, "Milasta" struggled without its head coach, who earned two technical fouls in the third quarter and left the court. However, despite this, Birštonas remained in the fight - at the beginning of the fourth quarter it was slightly behind (70:64), but VMU players fired up and after the 8:0 quarter ended all remaining intrigues (85:70), securing the victory and a ticket to the final four.
Both teams struggled to hit from long range in this match – VMU made 8/29 three-pointers, Birštonas only 3/23.
The VDU team was hard to stop with Domas Uosis, who scored 28 points (7/10 doubles, 8/10 free throws, 4 rebounds), J. Liesis – 15 (5 rebounds, 3 assists), Ž. Sabaliauskas – 12 (8/9 free throws, 5 rebounds).
Mindaugas Lukauskis, who played the last game of his career, scored 12 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists for Birštonas.
The most productive player for the visiting team was Laurynas Miknevičius with 20 points (7/10 free throws, 6 rebounds), T.Rinkūnas – 15 (5/5 doubles, 4 assists), M.Zutkis – 13 (5/5 doubles, 8 rebounds).
VMU will face Kėdainiai Sports Center in the final four semifinals of Division A.
